Envelop moistener and sealer.



No. 705,53l.

F. A. JONES.

ENVELOP MOISTENER AND SEALEB.

(Application filed Apr, 4, 1901s;

(No Model.)

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Patented July 22, |902.

UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

FRANK A. JONES, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO y EDWARD M. WILCOX, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

ENVELOP MOISTENER AND SEALER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,531, dated July 22, 1902.

Application filed April 4, 1901.

ers and Sealers.

The object of the invention is, in a thoroughly elcient, ready, and rapid manner, to moisten and seal envelops, irrespective of their bulk or thickness.

The envelop moistener and sealer characterized by the present invention com prehends in this structure, generally stated, a frame or casing supporting a moistening-roller, a sealing-roller, `and an endless feed-belt or conveyer for feeding the envelops under the two rollers, the motion of the belt in operation being -always onward, thereby to cause the machine to be continuous in operation. The moistening roller and sealing roller are mounted for yielding movement with relation to the feed-belt to render these rollers automatically adjustable, thus to accommodate the device to envelops of different thicknesses or to any inequalities that may exist in the envelop. As a matter of further improvement I combine with the said rollers and the belt a bed-plate, over which the feed-belt travels, the rollers to bear upon the beltoontiguous to the ends of the plate, the bed-plate to be rigid, thereby preventing any sagging of the belt. As a means for imparting motion to the belt I employ two drive-rollers suitably mounted for movement on journals mounted in bearings in the side of the casing contiguous to each end of the bed-plate, the upper faces of the drive-rollers to be in line approximately horizontal with the bedplate to prevent interference between the bed-plate and the-belt in the operation of the machine. The moistening-roller is a hollow structure provided with numerous perforations, through which Water will be fed to the wick or cover, the roller being provided with a xed end and a removable end, the latter by preference having a threaded connection with the roller to permit of its removal when the roller is to be filled with water.

Serial No. 54,305. (No model.)

to engagement with the sealing element.

As a matter of further improvement I provide means to prevent unnecessary dampening of the feed-belt when the machine is not in use. To eect this, the journal-bearings of the moistener-roller are formed by two slots disposed lat an angle to the bed-plate, the lower end of each slot being formed with a depression in which the journals of the roller Work when the machine is in operation and the upper end of each slot beingformed with similar depression in which the journals rest when the machine is not in use, and when the roller is in this latter position it is free from contact with the feed-belt. n

The moistening-roller may be driven by a crank carried bythe shaft of the drive-roller mounted under the moistening roller, as sho\vn,orbyfoot-powerorotherwise. Where power is used for driving the device, this may be effected by mounting a pulley on the shaft of the drive-roller, thepulley to be connected with any suitable source of driving power, as a pedal-wheel or a motor. f Further and more specic details of construction will be hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciication and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, I have illustrated a form of embodiment of my invention capable of carrying my ideas into effect, it being understood that other forms of embodiment thereof may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and in these drawings- Figure l isa view in perspective exhibiting the machine as it appears when ready for use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the center of the machine. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken throughfthe moistening-roller, showing the manner in which the same is constructed.

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structed of any suitable material.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the supporting frame or casing of the device, the same to be of any preferred shape and con- Generally, from a standpoint of cheapness andas presenting non-corrosive qualities, the frame may be made of galvanized iron. As here shown each side of the frame is of approximately pyramidal shape in elevation; but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this particular form, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invent-ion. 'Working in suitable bearings in the sides of the frame are two rollers 2 and 3, the roller 2 constituting the moisteningroller and the roller 3 the sealing-roller, the rollers being spaced apart such distance that the roller 3 will always grip the envelop before itis released by the roller 2, thus insuring positive movement of the envelops through the machine irrespective of their width. The moistening-roller is, as before stated, a hollow structure provided with a plurality of perforatious 3, through which water contained in the roller in operation will be fed to the wick or cove1'4,which lattermay be of any suitable soft and porous fabric capable by capillary attraction to absorb and distribute water evenly throughout its entire area. The roller is provided with a closed end 5, carrying a journal 6, and with a removable end 7, carrying a journal 8, the end 7 by preference having a screw-threaded connection with the roller to permit of its being readily removed when the roller is to be filled with water. The sealing-roller 3 may be a hollow structure or be made solid and is provided with a cover 9 of suitable flexible fabric or any other material to suit the purpose. The journalbearings for the moistening-roller are formed by two slots 10, disposed at an upward inclined angle with relation to the plane of movement of the feed-belt 11, each slot being provided at its lowest end with a depression l2 and at its highest end with a similar depression 13. lVhen the machine is at work, the journals of the moistening-roller occupy the lower depressions 12; but when the machine is at rest the roller is shifted to bring the journals into the upper depression 13, at which point the wick or cover of the roller is out of contact with the feed-belt. This arrangement is provided to prevent undue moistening of the feed-belt,which would result were the wick allowed to remain in constant contact with the belt. Aside from this the water would be rapidly exhausted in the roller, thereby requiring its being refilled oftener than necessary. The journalbearings 14 of the sealing-roller are vertical slots, this arrangement being adopted to permit the roller to yield vertically to adjust itself to envelops of different thicknesses. In order that the two rollers shall be pressed with requisite stress upon the envelop to cause in the case of the moistening-rollel` proper dampening of the envelop and in case of the sealing-roller to canse this to bear with sufficient pressure upon the ap of the envelop to effect perfect sealing, the two rollers are spring-pressed downward. The arrangement of springs for effecting this result herein shown is one of many that maybe employed and is given as an illustration of one way of carrying out the idea, it being understood that I do not limit myself to this precise arrangement, as it will be obvious that the results attained thereby may be accomplished in many other ways. As here shown, an ordinary spring 15 is employed, one on each side of the frame, and held in place against the frame by a screw or rivet 16, the ends of the springs bearing upon the top of the journals of the moistening-roller and of the sealing-roller.

The mechanism for imparting motion to the belt, which latter may be made of any suitable material, preferably of canvas or the like7 consists of two rollers 17 and 18, the roller 17 constituting in this instance the driving-roller, as it is from this that motion is imparted to the belt through the medium of a crank 19. Instead of employing a crank the shaft of this roller may be provided with a pulley, around which will pass a belt to -a suitable source of power, as to a pedal-wheel or to a motor, and as this arrangement will be readily understood illustration is deemed unnecessary. Rigidly mounted with regard to the sides of the frame and in a plane approximately parallel or in line with the upper faces of the rollers 17 and 1S is a bed-plate 20, the ends of which terminate contiguous to the two rollers last named, the plate to be of any suitable material, preferably of galvanized iron or brass on account of non-corrosive properties. The

plate may be permanently attached to thev frame or be detachable therefrom. In the operation of the device the moistening-roller and sealing-roller press the driving-belt upon this bed-plate, so that when envelops are being fed through the machine there can be no yielding of the belt at the point where the envelops pass under the moistening-roller or under the sealing-roller, or, in fact, at any point between these two rollers. At each end of the frame a table or platform 21 is provided, over which the envelops pass in being fed to and on leaving the machine.

All the parts of this machine are constructed with a view to durability and effectiveness in use and are so constructed and assembled as to present a device of great simplicity in construction, whereby danger of derangement in use will be practically obviated.

In the operation of the machine the moistening-roller is removed from its bearings, the end 7 unscrewed, and the roller filled with water, after which the end 7 is screwed into position and the roller put back in place.

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As soon as the roller is positioned the water contained therein will be fed to the'wick or cover through the openings 3, thereby imparting sufficient moisture immediately to effect moistening or dampening of the envelops. The envelops are then taken, with the flap turned out,and passed under the moisteningroller flap foremost, where the mucilage on the flap Will be wetted before any other part of the envelop passes under the roller 2. In its passage under the roller the-flap is curved upward toward the body of the envelop, thereby bringing it into position to be engaged by the sealing-roller, which will in a manner readily understood force the flap down against the envelop and effect perfect sealing.

One of the important features of the present invention resides in the peculiar relation of the moistening and sealing elements,

. whereby the ilap is permitted to curl upwardly for proper engagement with the sealing element. The most effective relation of these elements is to have the same separated by a space, the greatest length of which is less than the width of the envelop and the shortest length is at least equal to the width of the sealing-nap of the envelop, as said flap is held relatively close to the endless belt l1 until it is freed from the moistening-roller, whereby it is apparent that the sealing-roller should be spaced from the moistening-roller at a distance at least equal to the width of the sealing-flap in order that said sealingroller may not engage the nap until it has curled sufficiently to be effectively folded over by the sealing-roller. Hence this relative arrangement of the moistening and sealing elements provides means for folding the envelop-flaps after the moistening thereof and preparatory to engagement with the sealing element. I,

Where the device will be driven by power, the frame will be secured upon atable; but where used by hand it Willbe unattached from any support, to permit of its being transported at will.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of means for moistening envolop-flaps While they are open, means for feeding envelops to and from the moistening means with the flaps open and inl advance, and means for applying pressure to the flaps -to seal the same 'after they have passed beyond the moistening means but before the bodies of the envelops have cleared said means.

2. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of an endless feed-belt, a moistening device coperating transversely with the belt and at least equal in length to the length of an envelop-flap, and a pressure device coperating transversely with the belt to seal envelop-flaps, and at least equal in length to the length of an envelop-Hap, the moistening device and the pressure device being spaced at a distance less than the width of an envelop and more than the width of an envelop-tlap.A

3. In an .envelop moistener and sealer, the combination with an endless belt, of a moistening-roller disposed transversely in frictional engagement with the belt and extending for substantiallythe width thereof, and a pressure-roller disposed transversely in frictional engagement with the belt and eX- tending substantially for the width thereof, the distance between the two rollers being less than the width of an envelop and more than the width of the sealing-flap thereof, whereby the forward edge of an envelop is engaged between the pressure-roller and the belt before the rear edge thereof has become disengaged from between the moisteningroller and the belt.

4. In an envelop moistenerand sealer, the combination with a back, of an endless conveyer-belt traveling across the back, a moistening-roller in frictional engagement with the front end portion of the belt and extended transversely for substantially the Width thereof,and a pressure-roller extending transversely in frictional engagement with the belt and for substantially the entire width thereof, the pressure-roller being located in rear of the moistening-roller at a distance less than the width of lan envelop and more than the width of the sealing-flap thereof, whereby the forward edge of an envelop is engaged between the pressure-roller and the belt before the rear edge thereof has become disengaged from between the moistening-roller and the belt.

5. An envelop moistener and sealer comprisinga frame or casing carryingabed-plate, a moistening-roller, the journals of which are mounted in slots arranged at an upward inclinedangle to the bed-plate, a sealing-roller 'the journals of which are mounted in vertical slots, said rollers being separated by a space which is less than the width of an envelop, two-armed springs secured to the sides of the casing and bearing upon the journals of the two rollers, two drive-rollers journaled contiguous to the ends of the bed-plate, an endless belt passing over the bed-plate and around the drive-rollers, and means for imparting motion to one of the drive-rollers.

6. An envelop moistener and sealer comprising a frame or casing carrying a bed-plate, a moistening-roller having its journals mounted in slots arranged at an upward angle to the bed-plate, the journals of the roller, when in operation, occupying the lowest portion of the slots, and when out of operation, the highest portion of the slots, thereby to lift the moistening-roller above the plane of the bedplate, a sealing-roller the journals of which are mounted in vertical slots in the frame or casing, said rollers being separated by a space ICO IIC

which is less than the width of an envelop, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as springs for exerting downward pressure on the journals of the two rollers, driving-rollers journaled contiguous to the ends of the 5 bed-plate, an endless belt; passing over the I Witnesses:

bed-plate and around the rollers, and means I for imparting motion to one of the rollers. l

my own I have hereto axed'my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. JONES.

A. S. PARKER, C. I-I. MCELHINNY. 

